General TP documentation is applicable for all taxpayers with covered transactions. However, there is a common misconception that TP documentation needs to be prepared only when sought by the tax authorities or when the company exceeds the specified thresholds.

Since DFCT is used by the tax authorities to conduct high level transfer pricing assessment, it would be prudent for the taxpayers to prepare and maintain appropriate documentation to substantiate the arm’s length pricing of related party transactions which can act as a critical back-up for filing DFCT.

The General TP documentation can also help companies to determine whether any transfer pricing adjustment is needed before filing tax return.

Taxpayers should evaluate the applicability of Master File and Country-by-Country reporting requirements based on group structure and thresholds.

When an entity is designated as a Regional Headquarters (RHQ), it is mandatory to comply with the TP Bylaws of KSA and ensure that all related party transactions are undertaken at arm’s length price.

A detailed functional analysis is essential to demonstrate that the RHQ is undertaking only the licensed and permitted activities in line with regulatory requirements.

Given that tax authorities may call for information at any time, the maintenance of contemporaneous TP documentation is key to mitigating audit risks and potential litigation.

In light of the introduction of the Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) programme and the issuance of related guidelines, companies may evaluate APA as an effective tool to enhance transfer pricing certainty.

• A tailored approach considering the industry and operations of the taxpayers of the KSA
• Timely analysis on applicability of the Bylaws including amendments and updates
• Evaluation of existing transfer pricing policies and intercompany agreement to identify the risks and frame mitigation strategies
• Periodic monitoring and evaluation of the controlled transactions to advise on the arm’s length requirements
• End to end assistance in Annual TP Compliance
• Upfront advise on future transactions including evaluation of Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) and Rulings as an option
• Specific Support to RHQ like, Detailed documentation with FAR analysis, Analysis of Cost-Plus Vs Profit Split, Framing the risk mitigation strategies for RHQ in addition to the annual compliance
• Evaluation of Pillar 2 implications in case RHQs and Special Economic Zones for inbound MNCs which have IIR implemented

Locations Served

• Australia
• Philippines
• Belgium
• Singapore
• Denmark
• Switzerland
• India
• Turkey
• Italy
• UAE
• KSA
• UK
• Mexico
• USA
• Netherlands
• Zambia

Core Team

• Nithya Srinivasan
• Srilakshmi Hariharan
• S Ranjani
• E Rajesh
• Nitya Joseph
• Saranya Nagarajan
• Triveni Palla

Our Licensed Databases

The KSA TP Bylaws has a robust documentation requirement including disclosure forms and affidavits supported by the basic general documentation which are mandatory for all the taxpayers under the TP Bylaws. The KSA also requires the taxpayers to maintain additional documentation if the taxpayers meet certain monetary threshold. Though the KSA TP Bylaws does not provide the safe harbour option, the taxpayers can get certainty through APA.

Further the alert also focusses on the transfer pricing considerations #RHQs should bear in mind while claiming the tax exemption.

The Flyer touches all the above aspects while highlighting the compliance requirements for each category of taxpayers.

Do reach out to VSTN in case of any queries or support in KSA.

Kingdon of Saudi Arabia had introduced transfer pricing Bylaws in the year 2019. The Bylaws were constantly updated to include more persons under the purview of transfer pricing regulations of KSA from time to time aligned with the OECD guidelines. The Bylaws lays down the detailed guidance on the applicability, covered persons, covered transactions and approach for determining arm’s length criteria of the controlled transactions, a framework to set prices for Controlled Transactions, including but not limited to transfers of goods, services, loans and Intangibles (intellectual property). Besides loans, other financial transactions are also covered in this Guideline, for instance, guarantees, factoring and hedging

The following persons are covered under the TP Bylaws of the KSA covering both the domestic and cross border transactions:

• Taxpayers subject to 100% income tax
• Mixed Companies to the extent that the Mixed Company is subject to income tax in the Kingdom.
• 100% Zakat Payers
• Small Enterprises, investment funds, and wholly government – owned companies that are exempt from Zakat collection

Related persons means two or more natural persons having relation or partnership

A natural person is related to juridical person in case of either him or his related person together exercises controls (directly or indirectly or both) voting rights income or capital of a company or partnership or juridical person Two juridical persons are related when there is a common control on them, one controls the other or the persons having effective control over them are related

• Broad- based analyses including the industry sector and other relevant items of the MNE Group such as business strategies, supply chain and key functions assets and risks
• In depth- analysis including the determine the contractual terms of the Transaction; Functional and Risk Analysis for each Related Person part of the Controlled Transaction; Characteristics of the property transferred, or services provided; The economic circumstances of the market in which the Related Persons operate; and the Business strategies pursued by the Related Persons
• Determination of most appropriate method and its application to determine the uncontrolled transactions

In general, the KSA transfer pricing guidelines and Bylaws impose four documentation requirements i.e., Disclosure Form and Affidavit, General documentation, Local File, Master File and Country- by- Country Report

• Reporting of the Controlled Transactions in the commercial accounts based on the existing accounting rules in the KSA
• Making Periodical adjustments and year- end adjustments before filing the tax return as all Controlled Transactions must be reported in the Disclosure Form and the tax returns in accordance with the Arm’s Length Principle
• KSA will only allow a downward corresponding adjustment if there is a DTA in place

Local File provides detailed information on Controlled Transaction with the Taxable Person and is, accordingly, supplementary to the Master File. The information required under Local File is consistent with the OECD guidelines

CbCR Notification Form: Every Taxpayer who is a Constituent Entity of an MNE Group must submit to the Authority a CbCR Notification (part of Tax/Zakat Return) no later than 120 days after the last day of the Taxpayer’s Reporting Year. The CbCR Notification must include information on the identity of the Reporting Entity of the MNE Group, its country of tax resident and the country in which the Reporting Entity submits the CbCR

TP Disclosure Form: The Disclosure Form of Controlled Transactions is used by the Authority to conduct a high level Transfer Pricing Risk Assessment. Additional information supporting the Transfer Pricing position taken may be requested by the Authority

Master File provides an overview of the MNE’s global business, the Transfer Pricing Policy and economic activities/ functions of the Related Persons. The information required under Master File is consistent with the OECD guidelines

CA Affidavit: If Sections 1 (the Disclosure Form) and Section 2 (the CbCR Notification Form) are completed accurately, the Taxpayer must attach the Chartered Accountant Certificate declaring that the Transfer Pricing policy of the MNE Group is consistently applied in relation to the Taxpayer in the KSA. With respect to the Chartered Accountant Certificate, GAZT accepts both “limited” and “reasonable” assurance engagements (as endorsed by Standing Committee on Public Accounts) as long as the certificate is provided by a licensed auditor in KSA

Country- by- Country report includes Tax Jurisdiction- wide information on various information relating to the MNE’s global activities: In principle, the Ultimate Parent Entity (UPE) or Surrogate Parent Entity (SPE) should submit the CbCR

General TP Documentation: Applicable to all the taxpayers having controlled transactions where TP Bylaws apply. No specific requirements prescribed and therefore applies a format- free approach. Generally, most information listed in the Bylaws under the Master File and Local File should be documented, including in particular a Functional Analysis and an economic analysis.

The Authority may direct any Person (as listed in the Bylaws) to prepare and maintain documentation related to Controlled Transactions and to request such Person to provide such documentation within the time which shall in all cases be no less than Thirty (30) days from the date of the Authority’s request

Key Features of RHQ

• Valid License & Permitted Activities: Must have valid license and the activities covered under such license. The main activities of the RHQ are restricted to strengthening the group’s profile in the region, providing strategic supervision, administrative guidance and support for the internal business of the Company, subsidiaries, and other related companies. Optional activities such as sales and marketing. RHQ should earn income from only the above activities and must incur operational expenditure in relation to its activities. Related persons shall have the same meaning as the TP Bylaws of KSA
• Tax Benefits: Zero percent income tax and zero percent withholding tax for 30 years.
• Personnel Requirements: Must have at least one resident director in RHQ. Must employ adequate employees with adequate qualification and skill set to conduct such activities
• Accounting & Reporting : Must prepare and maintain the books of accounts for each full and partial tax years and file the tax returns and Zakat Returns
• Transfer Pricing Compliance: RHQ must comply with Transfer Pricing Bylaws of KSA and must ensure all the transactions with related persons are conducted at arm’s length
• Authority Oversight & Ruling Requests: The Authority has powers to carry out the audit, call for any information and monitor the fulfilment of economic substance in respect of RHQ in accordance with the procedures and provisions outlined in the relevant Tax and Zakat laws. RHQ may submit a request for a Ruling to the Tax authorities to provide interpretation and clarifications on tax rules and Bylaws
• Penalties: Penalties outlined in the Tax and Zakat laws apply to RHQ

Transfer Pricing Considerations

• Functions, Assets & Risk (FAR) Analysis: Conducting a detailed Functions, Assets and Risk analysis to support the licensed activities of RHQ
• Transfer Pricing Method Selection: Evaluation of the most appropriate method to commensurate with the key licensed activities of RHQ
• Intercompany Agreement vs. Conduct Analysis: Thorough analysis of the terms of the intercompany agreements vis-a-vis conduct of the parties to substantiate economic substance
• Controlled Transaction Evaluation: Evaluate controlled transactions to identify the deviations from the eligible income and expenditures of the RHQ
• Periodic & Year-End Adjustments: Thorough periodical and year-end adjustments to meet the arm’s length principle requirements
• Extensive Documentation: Maintain extensive documentation in relation to the above to substantiate the arm’s length nature of the controlled transactions
• Compliance with Bylaws: Meet the robust documentation requirements as per the Bylaws to avoid penal consequences

The KSA has not implemented the global minimum tax and qualifying domestic minimum tax pursuant to OECD pillar 2

• APAs can be requested for related party transactions with a minimum value of SAR 100,000,000. Exemption to certain complex transactions from this threshold can be granted by the governor
• A comprehensive application must be submitted at least 12 months before the first financial year covered by the APA
• The duration of the APA is three years
• Currently, there are no fees associated with the application for the APA
• Annual Compliance Report is to be submitted annually during the period covered by the APA

• Managing TP risks
• Achieve tax certainty and
• Minimize the potential for disputes with the tax authority

• Timely analysis on applicability of the Bylaws including amendments and updates
• Evaluation of existing transfer pricing policies and intercompany agreement to identify the risks and frame mitigation strategies
• Periodic monitoring and evaluation of the controlled transactions to advise on the arm’s length requirements
• End to end assistance in Annual TP Compliance
• Upfront advise on future transactions including evaluation of APA and Rulings as an option

• Detailed documentation with FAR analysis Analysis of Cost- Plus Vs Profit Split Framing the risk mitigation strategies for RHQ in addition to the annual compliance
• Evaluation of Pillar 2 implications in case RHQs and Special Economic Zones for inbound MNCs which have IIR implemented

Locations Served

• Australia
• Philippines
• Belgium
• Singapore
• Denmark
• Switzerland
• India
• Turkey
• Italy
• UAE
• KSA
• UK
• Mexico
• USA
• Netherlands
• Zambia

Core Team

• Nithya Srinivasan
• Srilakshmi Hariharan
• S Ranjani
• E Rajesh
• Nitya Joseph
• Saranya Nagarajan
• Triveni Palla

Our Licensed Databases